Member Spotlight: Francesca Voorbrood

<<Back to Spotlights

FRANCESCA VOORBROOD

Your current Company: 

BizOp

Your current Title: 

Managing Member

How long have you been in a Lean In Circle?

1 year

Tell us 1 or 2 specific things that you have benefited from being in your circle 

Sharing stories with different women across the Gaming Industry inspires tenacity & promotes vulnerability - two things that often prove difficult to have in this Industry.  Not only do we share stories, but we also share knowledge & wisdom, which a lot of only can come from personal experiences.

What is the biggest obstacle in your career that you were able to overcome?

Imposter Syndrome.  I was able to overcome (and I continue to overcome this every day) Imposter Syndrome by knowing I am not alone & this realization came to me through my first conference with Global Gaming Women. By understanding the signs of Imposter Syndrome, learning to loosen my grip on perfectionism, and understanding the difference between fear and humility, I am able to "check myself" before the thoughts of "I don't belong here" grow, or even worse, take over.

If someone was on the fence about joining a Lean In circle, based on your own experience, what would you tell them?

In general, it is beneficial to have a group of women from the same industry to discuss topics that other industries may not understand or relate to.  I then learned, that discussing industry topics quickly turns to sharing stories from our home lives too. Learning to share on both levels almost instantly increased my confidence to where when those situations arose, I was prepared on how to respond.  There is no cookie cutter benefit to being part of a Lean In Circle, but the increase of confidence, emotional intelligence, and ambition is very apparent in the women you will interact with.

What is something most people don't know about you?

My first true career choice was to be an Egyptologist, that is what I would be if it was a regularly offered degree at most universities.  I still like to learn Egyptian History, I have many books on the Subject.  I have been inside a Pyramid in Giza, I have seen the mummy of King Ramesses, (Did you know the mummy of Ramesses has red hair - there's a Jeopardy answer for you!), and I have been to the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.  When I was a kid, I even had a pet hamster that I named Imhotep, who was a physician in Ancient Egypt.